Jonathan Cott: Why have you been able to keep so in touch with your anger throughout the years, as
revealed in songs like Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? and Positively 4th Street?
Bob Dylan: Will power. With strength of will you can do anything. With will power you can determine your destiny. (from the Jonathan Cott interview Dec 1977)
Can you please crawl out your window?
Use your arms and legs it won’t ruin you
How can you say he will haunt you?
You can go back to him any time you want to
Dylan makes a surprise appearance at Camden Lock market, an open-air market in Camden Town, London, where he is filmed in a restaurant called Fluke’s Cradle and walking around in a top hat and frock coat by ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart. The resultant footage appears as a promotional video for “Blood in My Eyes” cleverly lip-synched and intercut with shots of Dylan signing autographs and walking among the crowds. Dylan is accompanied by his regular bodyguard, Jim Callaghan, but remains very approach- able throughout the afternoon, even when dining at the restaurant.
-Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)
On July 21, 1993 Bob Dylan walked around in Camden Town, London in a top hat filming the video for “Blood In My Eyes”. He signed autographs and seemed relaxed. There are many cool pictures of this event, here are 18. And of course the video for “Blood In My Eyes”.
“I still say that some of the biggest criminals are those that turn their heads away when they see wrong and know it’s wrong. I’m only 21 years old and I know that there’s been too many wars… You people over 21 should know better. The first way to answer these questions in the song is by asking them. But lots of people have to first find the wind.”
~Bob Dylan (The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Liner Notes – 1963)
The version of “Blowin’ in the Wind” that eventually appeared on The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was recorded at this July 9 session. Of all the available performances of this song from 1962 and 1963, this “official” recording is my favorite. It has a presence, a magic, as if Dylan took a deep breath and thought, “Okay, this one’s for posterity.” I don’t think Dylan ever put quite as much of himself into the song again. He didn’t have to. The song itself was in the wind at that point.
~Paul Williams (Bob Dylan: Performing Artist 1960-1973 The Early Years)
..Dylan, who is interviewed backstage at Wembley by Martha Quinn for MTV. The interview lasts over half an hour. Dylan is extremely talkative, discussing such matters as his early days at the Cafe Wha, the recording of Infidels, and his attitude toward videos. MTV broadcasts very little of the interview. At the end of the interview, Dylan tells Quinn that she asked some really good questions.
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)
Martha Quinn: Will this tour help you reach a new generation? Bob Dylan: I don’t reach anybody. They find me. They find me. It’s not for me to go out and reach somebody. If they can find me, they find me, and if they don’t, they don’t. That’s the way it’s always been. I don’t think it’s gonna change now just because I’m such an old man and it’s nineteen-eighty… what is it?
7 July 1984
Martha Quinn interview for MTV,
Wembley Stadium backstage, London, England
Barbecues are the epitome of summer and it’s nice to spice these shindigs up with unique barbecue ideas every once in a while! Of course any barbecue is great. They have all the best parts I could think of: friends, family, drinks, food, relaxation and fun! But it’s even better if you do a Bob Dylan themed barbeque! Here are some suggestions. If you do this and send us pictures we promise to post them on alldylan.
Music:
We have to have music and this is my suggestions. I’ve chosen some summer songs, some food and drink songs and some songs I just think would be nice to hear on a Bob Dylan BBQ.
BOB: Now, look, someone is coming up the road, boys.
(knock, knock)
MAVIS STAPLES: Hey, hey! Hey there, Bobby!
BOB: Hey, it’s Mavis Staples!
MAVIS; Hey fellows! What’s Up? Aw, it’s good to see all of you.
My goodness, Bobby you got a nice place here!
BOB: Well, welcome to California, Mavis!
MAVIS: Thank ya much! Whoa, you got a nice view!
BOB: Yeeah, it is. You can sit on this porch,
and look right straight into Ha-wa-ii.
MAVIS: Yeah, I was over in them foothills.
BOB: (perplexed) Why? MAVIS: I was looking for me some fuel. I’m kind of hungry now. Don’t you got anything to eat? BOB: Well I’m sure we do. Momma, we have anything to eat? WOMAN’S VOICE: Sure, we got plenty of chicken out there in the yard. BOB: Well we’re gonna go knock a few of ’em off and fry ’em up.
BOB: Well, Mavis, I’ve had the blues.
MAVIS: Aw Bobby, don’t tell me you got the blues!
BOB: Uh hum I’ve been up all night laying in bed, had insomnia, reading Snoozeweek.
MAVIS: Oh, Snoozeweek! That ain’t gonna get rid of no blues.
BOB: Umh umh
MAVIS: We gotta do some singing, let’s do some singing
BOB: Aw … yeah, let’s do that.
MAVIS: Sing about it, you know.
)
)
